Bonds That Cannot Be Broken: Four Persona Games Announced For North AmericaReach out to your dread... and dance!02.25.14 - 3:22 PM

After months of uncertainty, Atlus has dropped the Persona bombs we've all been waiting for. The RPG giant announced not just one, but FOUR titles for release in North America over the upcoming two-year period.

First is Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth for the Nintendo 3DS. This first-person dungeon-crawler takes cues from the Etrian Odyssey series, and features a huge cast of playable characters, including the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad from Persona 3 and the Midnight Investigation Team from Persona 4. The two groups have individual stories to follow as they work together in an effort to solve a new mystery — one of a school bell that portends death. Two new characters join the mix as well: Rei, a corndog-loving girl with flowers in her hair, and Zen, a brooding boy who wields dual crossbows. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is scheduled to release Fall 2014.

Perhaps more importantly, the long-awaited Persona 5 was also confirmed for a North American PS3 release in 2015. We still don't have any additional information about the game's plot, aside from the theme of "emancipation." (I'll be chaining myself to a chair in protest if the game gets delayed, incidentally.)

Two other games were announced simultaneously, and while they don't fall within our coverage, they are most assuredly relevant to any Persona fan's interests. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is an updated version of the fighting game produced by Arc System Works, including new mechanics and at least three new characters: Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori from Persona 3, as well as newcomer Sho Minazuki, a red-haired youth with an X-shaped scar on his face. The game will conclude the storyline that began in Persona 4 Arena when it releases on PS3 and Xbox 360 this fall. Finally, Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a Playstation Vita rhythm game featuring Rise Kujikawa, who seems to have returned to her idol career just in time to combat Shadows with some slick dance moves. More Persona 4 characters are slated to make an appearance, of course, in addition to Rise's fellow idol, Kanamin. Interested parties will be able to shake their groove thangs when the game releases sometime in 2015.

So much Persona! If you need us, we'll be throwing a Shin Megami Shindig to celebrate the good news.